Envelop



(No Mode-1.)

L. G. STOCKING.

ENVBLOP.

N,` 574,284. Patented Deo; 29', 1896.

WMM/@wea UNITED STATES VPATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS G. STOCKING, OF LIMONA, FLORIDA.

ENVELOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,284, dated December 29, 1896.

Application filed November 30,1895. Serial No. 570,618. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS G. STOCKING, of Limona, in the county of Hillsborough and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention pertains to envelops, and it is especially directed to providing an improved seal or lock therefor which can only be removed by lacerating either the seal or the envelop.

The invention consists in the novel arrangement hereinafter fully described and claimed,

and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan of an envelop provided with my improved sealing-strip. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the strip. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the locking-strip of modified form applied to an envelop. Fig. 4t is a detail perspective view of the locking-strip shown in Fig. 3.

The sealed and unsealed lips of envelop H are slitted and the ends of the locking-strip .I are inserted into the said slits, and one end J of the locking-strip is provided with an adhesive whereby it is adapted to attach to the inner surface of the envelop. The opposite end of the strip, however, is formed with the folded tongue K, which is slit upward at the fold, as indicated at K', so that when the said end is passed through the slit of either the envelop-body or the lip thesame constitutes a hook or enlargement which cannot be passed backward through the slit by merely pulling thereon, and thus the strip is securely fastened in place.

In Figs. 3 and 4t the strip L is provided at each of its ends with a lateral enlargement M, which is folded backward upon the main body of the strip and insertible through the slit of the envelop O. Both hooks or enlargements spread after being inserted in the slits and thus render it impossible to withdraw the strip without tearing the envelop.

In practical use it is my intention to either arrange the strips in separate packages and offer them for sale along with the envelops or to place a locking-strip in each envelop ready for use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a slitted envelop, a sealing-strip adapted to be secured at one end to the envelop and to hold the lipthereof closed, tongue K at one end of the strip and folded thereover on a line `parallel with the longitudinal extent of the strip, the tongue being separated a portion of its length from said strip on the fold-line whereby a hook is formed to engage the inner side of the envelop when the strip end carrying the tongue is inserted through the envelop, slit, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the envelop having its body portion and lip each formed with a slit, the locking-strip, the tongues projected laterally from opposite ends of the strip and folded thereover, the tongues being separated at their inner ends from the strip on the foldline, for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' LEWIS G. STOCKING.

Witnesses:

E. R. CLINKscALEs, OHAs. DONOVAN. 

